When farmers comes first: A choice of giving back to the farmers of Bicol
For every one farmer in
the world, there are 19 in the developing world. In a survey conducted by the
Philippine Statistics Authority in 2012, 12.09 million people work in
agriculture. This amount figures to about 1/3 of the country’s total employment.
However, even with all the people in that sector, the contribution of
agriculture to the economy only makes up a mere 11%.
In Bicol, agriculture makes up 30% of the region’s GDRP and about
44% of the total population is employed in this sector. According to the Bicol
Regional Development Plan of 2011-2016, most of the families in agriculture
belong to poor and vulnerable sectors, most of whom are unable to complete
their schooling due to lack of funds or access to quality education.
In 2001, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations released a position paper on the role of agriculture in developing
countries. They emphasized that agricultural productivity is key to poverty
alleviation. More than just food security, agriculture can also contribute to
economic development through increased export earnings. In light of this,
national focus has shifted to the margins—policy makers, government, and
non-government agencies alike have begun pumping support for our local farmers
through irrigation programs, modernization projects, and supporting local
entrepreneurs and cooperatives.
Cooperatives for socio-economic development
The Philippine Agricultural setting is mostly small farm holders
after the land reform. So it is very important to organize the farmers to
cooperatives and association for economy of scale in production and pricing.
Cooperatives play a
crucial role in reducing poverty as well as pave the way for rural development.
Through cooperatives, farmers who previously lacked access to the necessary
resources are now able to access new technologies through government support
from Dept. of Agriculture, Dept. of Trade & Industry and Dept. of
Science & Technology.
Pili farmers of
Bicol—once the poorest of the poor—are now able to augment their income through
their cooperative with farmers from different provinces, harvesting and
processing what we know now as Pili oil.
Pili oil is extracted
from the pili fruit. It is only in the Philippines that the pili is commercially
grown and processed. The nuts themselves have been found to contain 70%
oil—akin to the Macadamia. The oil from other parts of the fruit itself is rich
in Vitamin A and Tocopherol (Vitamin E), otherwise known as natural anti-aging
components.
A beautiful partnership
Some farmers group from
Sorsogon & Camarines Sur is already partners with PILI Beauty—an
all-natural line of personal care products enhanced with pili and elemi oil.
Through their harvest of pili oil, the farmers now receive a new source of
income and through this; they can send their children to school & upgrade
their standard of living.
The farmers are also
taught zero waste management consciousness, making use of every part of the
pili nut and pulp. This means less stress on the environment as well as reduced
pollution in production.
PILI Beauty does not just want to provide short term livelihood
solutions for these farmers, but to ultimately uplift the quality of life for
those who belong to this sector. “Our goal is a long term relationship with
these farmers that will help upgrade their standards of living,” said PILI
Beauty’s visionary Founder Rose Tan.
At par if not better than Argan and Olive oil, PILI Beauty after
extraneous research & creative innovation envision our very own Pili oil
comparable to world class beauty product both local and international
market. More than the beauty benefits the pili oil can provide championing a
local product, we are pumping life into the backbones of our society &
leaving it better than we started it.
0 comments